Doha: French Ambassador for International Investments and Chairman of Business France Pascal Cagni said that France is one of the most important trading partners of Qatar, and Doha is one of the most prominent investors in his country. Speaking during a meeting with the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA).
The trade exchange between the two countries reached about QR6.3bn last year, with the presence of 120 French companies, he said during the meeting which was held at QBA’s office.
The meeting was attended by QBA board members, Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser Al Thani, Sherida Al Kaabi and Saud Al Mana, while from QBA members, Khalid Al Mannai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Faisal Al Thani, Sheikh Faisal bin Fahd Al Thani, Ashraf Abu Issa, Moataz Al Khayat, Abdul Salam Abu Issa, Maqbool Khalfan, Muhammad Al Misnad, Ihsan Al Khiyami, Dafer Halawa, in addition to Sarah Abdullah, Deputy GM attended the meeting. As from the French delegation, Pascal Cagni, French Ambassador for International Investments and Chairman of Business France attended, in the presence of Ambassador of France to Qatar H E Jean-Baptiste Faivre.
During the meeting, discussions on trade, industrial and investment relations between France and Qatar and ways to develop them took place. The French side emphasized the keenness of the French government and the private sector in France, to strengthen relations for the benefit of both countries.
Pascal Cagni explained during a presentation he gave to Qatari businessmen, that his country was able to overcome the repercussions of the pandemic by investing €100bn to support the French economy and maintain the business climate, the operational capacity of companies and the competitiveness of France in the European continent as the best attractive hub for foreign investment.
Cagni talked about the technology sector as the vice president of Apple International in Europe and the MENA region, and the privileges granted by his country to attract major international companies, calling on the private sectors in Qatar and France to invest in Paris and Doha, which has prepared a free zone for foreign investment as well.
He also discussed France’s 2030 vision, which depends on technology, health care and climate by moving towards environmental friendly electric cars and other sectors with innovative technology, noting that there are about 28,000 foreign companies investing in France, providing 2 million jobs and contributing 30 percent of the country’s exports.
Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser Al Thani, QBA Board member praised the bilateral relations between both countries, stressing that France is one of the most important strategic partners of Qatar, as the number of French companies operating in the country reached 418, including 120 companies with 100 percent French ownership, and 290 companies established in partnership with the Qatari side, 8 companies licensed by the Qatar Financial Center, and three French representative offices.
He also reiterated the importance of cooperation with Business France as an important economic step between both countries.
Businessman Ashraf Abu Issa added there is great interest in the technology sector from the French and Qatari sides, as 'we seek to cooperate between the two countries and transfer technology to Qatar and invest in SMEs in the business incubator and free zones and others. Abu Issa confirmed that it was agreed to exchange visits between businessmen after the 2022 World Cup'. According to the Statistics and Planning Authority, intra-regional trade between Qatar and France reached over QR6.3bn in 2021, of which QR2.85bn were imports focused on aircraft requirements, textiles, clothing, perfumes and agricultural products, while Qatar’s exports amounted to nearly QR3.5bn, mostly in the field of gas and energy products.
